The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1887-12-31
MEN IN PsTTiCOATS.
A Dream of what May Come to Pass In ths
Not Distant Future.

A Dream of what May Come tn Pass In ths
Not Distant Future.
There is n great thought, a brilliant
industrial suggestion, in the case of
Frank King, otherwise Kitty Russell,
who has been forced. according to the
young persons own story. TO adopt n
woman's garb and 90 out To work rs
housemaid and waitress i'm order 10
make living Mr.. Frank King says
that he had money enough 10 live on,
without work, up to year ago. Then
circumstances compelled him TO 20 10
work, lie could find no work To do as
man, but he observed that there was
always an unsupplied demand for fc-
male domestic help. II the work
would not como to Frank King, Frank
King would 60 to the work; and. rs
his face was smooth and his stat
uro moderate. and rs short hair
is fashionable, no had no difficulty In
Disgusting himself in woman's clothes
and getting u situation. The scrutiny
of likely-loolling servant girls, rs every
body knows, is not keen. The advent
of any kind Of girl at all is, in cer-
tain unlucky households. especially
suburban households. a matter for ox-
ogcding rejoicing. Kitty Russell says
however, that she was compelled to fly
from one place To another TO avoid de-
lection; and at last, having located
with family in Chelsea. where she
was regarded ms perfect jewel. she
was indiscrcet enough, having a fond
ness for the military. 10 90 out and see
the parade of the First regiment. and
was pouuced upon and arrested by
sharp-eycd policeman. who detected
her disguise, So that here, for time nj
least, Kitty Rnssolrs promising indus
trial career was brought TO n close.
There Is a suggestion in this affair
II ought TO be plain enough what IL is
There are thousands of men. we are
told. who can not find work To do
There are many more thousands Of
women who will not do houscwork
Now, OF these thousands Of mon there
are n majority, beyond a doubt. who
might make themselves quite handy at
housowork, or nt least good deal
handler than nothing nj all. Let these
poor wrelchcs without employment be
''driven TO pciiicoats, as Mr.. Frank
King was To pctticoats IL. II IL
Is regarded as necessary 10 keep up a
fiction of femininity; but In order 10
spare the stalwart maids-of-al-work
such episodes rs Kitlic Russell was sub
jected 10 when she went out to see the
soldiers, and 10 keep within the law.
the petiicoats might be only mere
perfunctory. rudimentary one-a sort
Of Albanian fustanclla, neatly disposed
over Michaefs neat but ample panta.
looms. Perhaps function and legiti-
mate opportunity for the divided skirt
may be- found ~ last in this suggested
industrial movement The sex Of the
now servants might he still further dis
guiscd little. without being denied.
by addihg feminine termination to the
well-known masculine name.
One can imagine an interesting do-
nestle scene under this new regime
"Michaclla" the mistress calls.
"MichaclIaN'
Enter Michaclln, the second girl, In a
neat suit consisting of calico jacket.
short starchcd nainsook pctticoar'ind
coarse checked trousers over cowhidc
boots Her boots make something Of
clattcr rs She comes in over ia" hard
wood noor of the ball. and her mistress
eyebrows knit little.
"Michaclla, She SAYS, II must eau
tion you again - walk little more
softly What! Your mustachc still in
curl papers at this hour? Aud please
do not come 900 near. for am afraid
shall discover that you have been smok-
ing again, and do not want 10 adj
minister too many rcprimands At once. "
"Yis'm with a grin). Fwhat Is IL
ye want, mum?'
$50 down aud tell Patricia that
want 30 see her.
Exit Michaclla. tiptoeing painfully
along the 1oor and exhibiting n van
ishing perspective 81 broad boot heels.
Enter presently Patricia in costume
somewhat resembling Mchaclla's. with
the difference that the pctticoat Is Of
gingham in large pattern, and the
trail Of the kitchen is over IT all. Pa
tricia's football j. even more emphatic
than Michaclla's, and its measured
"calump. calunp,' crescendo. gives
abundant notice u her coming.
"Perhap., Patricia says the mis-
tress, ~ the cook .crapcs n rough chin
and makes an exceedingly awkward
courtesy. "1hose frayed panialoons may
DO good enough for rough work around
the kitchen aud shed IN the morning,
but ! wouldn't wear them all day.
Have you begun the preparations for
dinner. Pairicia''
"Yis, mum. Ihlye put the bread 10
bile. mum, and the bafeshtcak 10 bake
'
Fury and explosion on the part of
mistress. Such cDutretemp', il is fair
10 assume. would be but inircquent un-
der the new industrial regime. Even
now they rise occasionally in the best
regulated domestic Interiors. The idea
Is presented merely for what II IS worth.
Boston TraHSc,tDL
. --
Domestic Felicity
How many persons in this family?"
,aL,d tho t,,ascr a.saa.,r a. lao afnpd on